The present invention generally relates to the field of electro-mechanical equipment and more particularly to means for supporting said equipment for use in residential and/or commercial garages or work bays with overhead doors. Typically in such spaces electrical power is not readily available except around the perimeter of the space, yet much of the work that takes place in these locations is not near the perimeter. For example, automotive repair work is performed on the vehicle wherever it is parked in the garage bay. Similarly, lighting is often poor in garages that were designed primarily for automobile storage.
In some commercial garages or work bays, special accommodations have been designed into the structure to provide electrical and other utilities away from the perimeter of the space. Electrical power, for example, may be available using a ceiling mounted, retractable extension cord device, the extension cord being electrified from junction boxes distributed where needed on the ceiling. Similarly, by advanced planning, some commercial garages have ceiling mounted light fixtures distributed above the expected work spaces.
In other commercial garages, these amenities may not be available, particularly if the garage was not originally designed to serve as a work space. Similarly, nearly all residential garages lack these amenities, again because they were not originally designed to be work spaces.
An additional obstacle in providing electrical or mechanical amenities in a garage or work bay is the most common vehicle access door in these spaces—the overhead, roll-up door. By definition, an overhead roll-up door will, when in the open position, intercept the space between the ceiling and the work space below. Thus, no permanent, ceiling mounted device can be installed above the work space unless the device can fit entirely above the raised roll-up door.
Furthermore, in retrofit applications, permanent ceiling mounted devices often require expensive renovation work or, at a minimum, the service of licensed tradespeople.
There is, therefore, a need for an easily installed means of providing electrical or mechanical utilities in existing work spaces.